The Week in Review
SPRING RITES: Friends of Junichiro Owaki jointed in celebrating his
graduation from the Unification Theological Seminary last week. Owaki，
from Japan, was one of 40 students receiving diplomas.
The UTS choir sang the“Hallelujah” chorus from Handel's“Messiah”
during the graduation ceremony at the chapel on the seminary grounds
in Barrytown.
Unifying commencement held
by Donna Logsdon-Pottis
With sunlight shinning down from the stained glass windows that
depict the life of Christ and that of John Baptist De La Salle,
founder of the Christian Brothers, 40 students of the Unification
Theological Seminary received their diplomas during a mid-morning
ceremony Friday at the old Christian Brothers chapel on the grounds of
seminary.
Of the graduates, 30 had completed a two-year religious program and
10 a three-year divinity program. The seminary trains leaders of the
Unification Church, which was founded by Sun Myung Moon. The church
brought the Christian Brothers Seminary in 1974 and founded their own
school in 1975.
David Kim, president of the seminary, in his congratulatory remarks
"told the graduates that the world is changing and becoming cross
cultural. There are even dialogues between Marxist and Christian and
Christian and Buddhist groups. “Ｗｅ never imagined this just one
decade ago. " he said. These are signs predicted by the Bible as
signs of the last days, when the new Messiah will make an appearance,
he said. The graduates should take Unification principles into the
world and “show that different religions of the world can work
together without destroying each other to promote the well-being of
the world, “Kim said. "Live for the sake of others “so that“evil
will naturally surrender to God's side, " he said.
Reading an address by Moon, who could not be present, Kim said the
mission of the church is to work hard to revive America from a
dangerous coma and the condition of near death." That condition has
been brought about by moral corruption of America's young people. Kim
said.
The revival depends on the “revival" of Christianity in American,
stopping communism as well as the moral decay of the young around the
world. Moon said in his address.
＊Photo; from right to left,
Yukio Irvin (the 7th generation of Benjamin Franklin)
Reiko Isago (Social Worker of the N.Y City)
Yasuaki Sjhigeno (Chancellor, Michigan Sophia College)
Junichiro owaki (a graduate: MD)
Sanae Yamasaki (Former Deputy Editor,” People Magazine"
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